Tension device



A. cl HoUGH TENSION DEVICE Juge 3o, 1925.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

June 3G, i925 f 1,544,320

A. C. HOUGH TENSION DEVI CE Fi.ed NOV. 28. 1924 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED fsrATEs y 1,544,320 PATENT OFFICE.

AZEL C. HOUGH, 0F JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN, ASVSIGNOR TO ROUGH SHADE COR- PORATION, 0F JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTIC'EVI,l

TENSION DEVICE.

Application iled November 28, 1924. Serial No. 752,564. i

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AZEL C. Homin, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Janesville, in the county of Rock and State of lViseonsin, have invented a new and useful Tension Device, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in devices designed to be attached to looms for the purpose of putting a tension on the warp, and consists generally of a body which is adapted to be mounted on a supporting member of a loom, and to be adjusted lengthwise thereof, or crosswise of the loom, said body having therethrough a passageway for the warp, retarding means to bear on said warp while being drawn through said passageway, said means being so constructed that it prevents the warp from climbing the sides of said passageway, fixedA friction or tension members to divert the warpl from a straight or direct course, and thus to impart to said warp or to place thereon tension which is governed or regulated by the drag imparted to the warp by said retarding means, such-fixed tension members preferably being supported between arms that extend from said body, suitable supporting means for the spools,

S0 rolls, or coils of warp, which latter support- 'ing means may consist of additional arms extending from said body and having journaled therein a shaft or spindle upon which said spools, rolls, or coils are mounted, and braking means for said spools, rolls, or coils, together with such other parts and'members as may be -necessary or desirable in order to render the device complete and serviceable in every respect, all as hereinafter set forth.

This tension'device is especially adapted for application to a loom for weaving woodslat shades having warp units of-tape, or other thin, fiat material, such shades as those set forth in the application of Leroy J. Stetten, for U. S. Letters Patent on slat shades, filed July 19, 1924, Serial No. 726,- 935, inasmuch as such warp units are so relatively thin, and it is consequently necessary to place a strong, even, and uniform tension on them, during the weaving operation; otherwise the slat weft units would not be woven sufficiently close` together, and the shade would not be light-proof. The primary object of my invention is, therefore, to produce comparatively simple, both in construction and operation, and inexpensive, yet strong, durable, and highly eiiicicnt, means for applying a firm, even, and uniform tension to weft units of thin, 'fiat materi'al, such as tape, during the weaving operation.

The required friction might be secured by applying to the rctarding, presser members force suicient to hold back the warp to any extent required, or, in other words, to apply to the warp, which is thin and flat, the required amount of tension during the weaving operation, but if this were done there would be not only a pronounced tendency but a strong liability to abrade, wear, or otherwise injure said warp. To avoid doing this the warp is carried or caused to pass through a more or less tortuous course in contact with a plurality of fixed members, on the way from the warp roll or coil to the harness of the vloom. The presser parts merely produce whatever tension or drag is required to keep the warp in close contact with the fixed tension members, while by far the greater proportion of the tension imparted to said warp is produced by the frictional contact of the same with said fixed tension members. Hence another object of my invention is to combine a resilient or yielding, pressure and friction or contact tension with a sole friction or contact tension, whereby the latter becomes the greater and is of a character which lin no way can ,inj ure the warp, the former does not act on the warp in a manner to injure the same.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be moved or adjusted from one side of the loom to the other, or to any intermediate point, with-` out removing the Warp from said device. This is of great importance, because it would be impracticable to remove the Warp from the tension device each time the position of said device was changed to accommodate it to aA shade to be Woven of a different width, orto a. new location of the Warp units to such shade.

Still further objects are to brake the warp units as they are drawn oi of their rolls or coils, to hold the latter in check and to prevent them from rotating faster than is necessary, or faster than they are naturally and normally 'rotated by said warp units as the same are drawn oft' of said rolls or coils,

and this regardless of the size of the rolls or coils, or of the variation of their sizes; and to prevent the warp units from climbing the sides of the guide-ways through which they pass under tension from presser members, or, in other words, to afford means for overcoming the tendency on the part of the warp units to work up between said sides and the sides of said presser members, a tendency which is always present and would be fatal to the successful operation of the device were it not for such means. brake or drag on the rolls or coils also over'- c'omcs the tendency or removes the liability which the warp units would have, in the absence ofsuch brake or drag, to ride up the sides of the guide-ways after leaving said rolls or coils, in the event the latter rotated too fast.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tension device which embodies a practical form of my invention,showing in connection with the same in outline the parts of a'loom with which said device is most closelyand intimately associated; Fig. 2, al greatly enlarged top plan of the guide-way element and the presser-feet for the warp units; Fig. 3, an'

enlarged top plan of saidtension device; Fig. 4, an enlarged side elevation of the device; Fig. 5, an enlarged, central, longitudinal, vertical section through the device, and, Fig. 6, an enlarged end elevation ofthe same, the warp units and the supporting arms for the warp, coils being in section.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views. There are shown in the several views Warp rolls or coils 1 and 2, warp units or tapes 3 and 4-, and an angle-iron 5, while in Fig. 1 are represented a plurality of weft units or. slats 6 after they have been interwoven with the tapes. The following parts of a loom forl weaving slat shades are represented in outline in Fig. `1: A harness, at 7 which is actuated by means of pitmans (not shown), a race way, at v8, where the slats 6 are introduced into the shed formed by said harness, a beater-up device, at 9, actuated by a cam 10, and take-up rolls, at 11, which are actuated by ratchet mechanism (not shown). These loom elements operate in the usual and well-known manner. The

angle-iron 5 extends across the loom behind the harness 7, andis attached in any suit- -able manner to the frame (not shown) of The ' longer transversely of the loom than longitudinally thereof, so that. what constitutes the ends of said body are parallel with the sides of the loom. This body consists of a base 17 having integral side-pieces 18-18 adjacent to the ends of said base, and a cap-plate 19 mounted on said side-pieces and secured thereto by bolts Z0- 20. Rising from the cap-plate 19 are integral posts 21.

lThe number-of the )lesser-feet must agree with the member o the warp units, and there is a post 21 associated with each presser-foot, there being three of each of these elements i'n the present example.

The front and back edges oi the base 17, these being the longitudinal edges thereof, incline from above downwardly and outwardly, and the horizontal part of the angle-iron 5 has an under-cut` Aflange22 in front, and is provided with an under-cut 23 behind, to receive and engage such inclined edges. A thumb-screw 24 is inserted in a vertical openinflr in the horizontal part in vthe angle-iron o, near the back edge of such part, and istapped into the bar 2,3v from below. Upon tightening the thumb-screw 24 the bar 23 is drawn downwardly into close engagement with the contiguous part of the base 17, which is the rearinclined edge portion thereof, and for-ces said base against the flange 22 and onto the angle-iron 5 below, thus securely holding said base against endwise movement. To facilitate the clamping of the base 17 in placeby means of the bar 23 and the thumb-screw 24, said bar is recessed underneath, as represented at 25. Upon loosening the thumb-screw 24,'the base 17 and all other parts of the'tension device may be moved in either direction laterally of the loom. 'After such adjustment the thumb-screw 24 is again tightened. This adjustment is necessary in order to enable the tapes 3 and 4 to be located at the required places in the shade. i In passing, it should be noted that one of these tension devices is required for each group of warp units in the shade, couscquently there may be two, three, or more tension devices mounted on the angle-iron 5, according to the number of such groups, and each of these tension devices is held against movement laterally of the loom by means of the bar 23` and one of the thumbscrews (24)'. If a single thumb-screw 21h-for` warp coils 1 and 2, is journaled in bearings 26-26 at the rear ends of arms 27-27 which project rearwardly from the body of the tension device, and the tension bars and 16 are supported by arms 28-28 whiclrproject forwardly from said body. It will be clearly apparent, therefore, that the tension device can be moved from one side of the loom to the other, without. removing` the tapes themselves from the tension device. Each arm 27 has its forward end secured by means of two screws 29 against the outer face of one of the side-picces 18.

` The warp units may be'wountl on a single paper tube which is mounted on the shaft 14, or said units may be wound on individual spools, as 30, which are mounted on said shaft. The shaft 14 may have at one end a head 31 and be provided at the other end with a split-pin 32 to retain said shaft in place in he bearings 2G and enable said shaft to be withdrawn and replaced at will.

llpon removing the split-pin 32, the shaft 14 may be withdrawn from the bearings 2G and the spools 30. To mount the spools with their warp coils 1 and 2 on the shaft 14, such spools are placed between'the bearings 26,

after removing said shaft, and then the latter is thrust through the bearings and ,spools and secured with the splitfpin 32.

The middle tape 4 is wider than either of the other tapes, consequently the coil of the former is longer than either 'of the otherV coils, and the spool for this wider coil is longer than either of the other spools. v

In the present example the middle tape 4 is equal in width to the combined widths of the outer tapes 3. These proportions are necessary, when the group of Warp units consists of three, in order that the amount of pressure produced by the warp units or tapes`3 and 4 on both sides .of each weft unit or slat 6 shall be equal. In other words,the

. wide tape '4 on one side of a. Slat 6, being equal to the combined widths of the narrow tapes 3 the other side of said Slat, engages the same amount of area as do the narrow tapes, and vice versa. It is thus/possible and practicable to produce a flat and smooth fabric orV shade; and it is for this purpose or to this end that the widths of the warpJ and warp rolls or coils, and the vwidths of certain parts and members of the tension de'- vice, vary. Obviously, the warp groupings y* might be changed in number and widths of tapes, and in such event it would be necessary to malte corresponding changes 1n the tension device, but such changes would in no way eflcct the general character. of the in-l vention.

.For the purpose of preventing the coils 1 and 2, which are loosely mounted on the shaft 14, from rotating faster than they are actuated by the warp units 3 and 4 as drawn Utl from 4Said coils, the brake or drag bars 43 are provided, one for each coil. These bars are loosely mounted at their front ends on a horizontal rod 44 that is carried by up- -wardly and rearwardly extending bearing.

lugs 45-45 on the arms 27. Normally the bars 43 rest or bear, adjacent to their rear ends, on thel coils 1 and 2, and thus tend to retard 4the rotary motion of said coils. The coils 1 and 2 may, however, be rotated, as the tapes 3 and 4 are drawn therefrom, and byk linto positions forward'of said rod and there left, during the tune the Warp coils are be" ing placed in position Vin the device. When the warp coils are in placethe bars 43 are swung rearwardly again and permitted to rest on said coils. The drag bars bear and exert their force on the coils regardless of the size of the same.

Spacers 46 are arranged on fthe rod 44 between the lugs 45 and the bars 43 to retain the latter in proper spaced-relationship. In this example the end spacers are shorter than the intermediate spacers.

The drag bars 43 may all be of the same individual Width, or their Widths may vary. 1

A iooring 33 is placed on the basel17 between the sidepieces 18, [and` there secured by screws 42-42. The Iflooring 33 is divided by upstanding flanges 34-34 at the end edges and intermediate ribs 35-35 into three channels, each of the outer of said channels being of approximately the same width as one of the tapes 3, and the inner channel being of approximately thesame width as the tape 4, and said tapes are passed lthrough saidfchannels, and are guided by the sides thereof. The two presserfeet 12 are inthe narrower, outside chan' nels and bear on the tapes 3'in said chrannels, while the presser-foot 13 is in the middle channel and bears on the tape l4 in said last-named channel. The presser-feet 12 and 13 force the tapes 3 and 4 against the flooring 33, and exert la certain amount of tension thereon, which tension may be varied in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The presser-feet exert a .drag on the tapes, and by sovdoing cause the same frictionally to engagerthe tension-bars 15 and 16, and to governor regulate Athe amount of such friction or resulting tension.

In order to prevent` the warp units or tapes 3 and 4 from riding up the sides of the channels formed by the flanges 34 and` the ribs 35 with flooring 33. and from erng drawn and b coming caught between said flanges and rigs and the presser-feet 12 and The lugs 47 with which the presser-feet are provided, extending as they do into oppositel -disposed slots 48 in the channel-forming fiimges and ribs 34 and 35, absolutely preventthe tapes being drawn through the channels beneath said presser-feet from climbing the sides o-f said channels. The

. slots 48 open through the tops of the flanges 34 and ribs 35, and thus enable the lugs 47 to be raised in or taken out of said flanges and ribs, when the presser-feet are raised or removed for any purpose from the channels, but there is not enough clearance between said lugs and the sidesof said slots to permit any part of the tapes to enter therebetween. This is' a very important feature, because, in the absence of the same, it would be practically impossible to draw the tapes through the channels beneath the presserfeet, without said tapes riding up on the sides of the 'channels and thereby interfering with and'interrupting the movement of the same through the device. Itwill be observed that the lugs 47 are at the rear ends ofthe presser-feet 12 and 13, and so ar'e in position to prevent the tapes from making even an initial false or upward movement.

The presser-foot 13 has a stem 36 rising` from the center thereof. One of the posts 21 is located directly above the center of the presser-foot 13, and said post has therein a vertical passage 37 which extends through the same and down through the capplate 19 to receive the stem 36. The sides of the passage 37 at the upper termina-l thereof are Screw-threaded to receive a thumb-screw 38, and a spring 39 and a disc 40 are interposed between the top of the stem 36 and the inner end of said thumbscrew, said disc being between said spring and the thumb-screw. The sp1ing39 tends constantly to force the stem 36 with the presser-foot '13 downwardly, and the amount` of such pressui e, or of the force exerted by said spring, may be increased by turning the thumb-screw 38 inwardly, and decreased by turning said thumb-screw outwardly. The other two posts 21 are-located on and adjacent to the rear longitudinal edge of the cap-plate 19, while` the first post 21 is located adjacent to the front longitudinal edge' of said cap-plate. Each of the presserfeet 12 has a stem 36 whichrises therefrom and extends through' the cap-plate into one of the rear posts. -The two rear posts are equipped with springs, thumb-screws, and

discs, which correspond with the springs 3.9,v thumb-screw 38, and disc 40 in the front post 21'. All of the posts 21 might be arranged -side by side, or the single post might be arranged rearwardly relative to the other .t-wo, but the present arrangement, whereby the drag on the wide tape is located a little for the purpose of strengthening the other parts of said arms. The arms 28 at their forward ends are enlarged or widened suliciently to receive between them and properly support the tension-bars 15 and 16, which bars are rigidly Secured in any'suital'ile manner or by any suitable means tosaid arms.

The ytwo tension-bars 15 are of the same size, and theyare located with their peripheries at the top approximately tangent to or in the same plane with the top of the llooring 33, or with those portions of said flooring that are between the flanges 34 and ribs 35, andveach of said tension-bars is smaller than the tension-bar 16. The tension-bar 16 is below the plane which is tangent to the peripheries of the tension-bars 15 at the bottom, has a diameter which is greater than the distance between the smaller tensionba-rs, and is located so as to extend farther beneath the fr ont friction-bar 15 than it docs beneath the rear friction-bar 15, although said friction-bar 16l does project a little bcneath said rear friction-bar. Thetapes 3 and 4 pass over the rear friction-bar 15 and downwardly to the friction-bar 16, under the latter and upwardly to the front frietion-bar 15, and over Said last-named friction-bar to the harness 7. K

It is now clear that, if pressure be exerted on the tapes 3 and 4, by such means as the presser-feet 12 and 13, and said tapes be drawn forwardly, they will have imparted thereto -by the frictional resistance offered by the tension-bars 15and 16 to such tapes in such movement a tension which is strong, even, and regular. f

In practica-after the warp coils 1 and 2 have been placed in position, the warp units 3 and 4 therefrom'are led forwardly, over the flooring 33 and beneath the presser-feet 12 and 13, to the rear tension-bar 15 and over the same down to and under the tensionbar 16, up to and over the front tensionbar 15 to the harness 7, and on to the takeup rolls 11;.and the spring 39 in each of the posts 21 is adjusted by means ofthe associated thumb-screw 38, if necessary,lto increase or decrease the amount of pressure exerted by the presser-foot below on the tape engaged by said presser-foot. Then, when the loom4 is set in motion and as the weaving operation continues, the tapes 3 and 4 are drawn olf of their coils under the tens1on necessaryproperly to lnterweave with them the slats 6, and this without injuring said tapes by any part of the tension device.

It is conceivable that the group of tension-bars might be inverted without perhaps changing the effect produced by said tensionbars on the warp, and itis very'evident that more than three tensions-bars might be used, and it is possible two might-be sufficient in some cases. Furthermore, the size of the tension-bars individually and relatively may be changed, and their shape also provided they present curved or arcuate surfaces for the tapes to run on or pass over. Preferably the tension-bars are cylindrical as shown. The essential thing for which the tension-bars are provided is to divert the warp from a straight course in such a manner that, when a drag is placed on said warp behind said tension-bars, the later afford the required amount of frictional resistance to the forward movement of the warp.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement of some or all of the parts and members of this device, in addition to those hereinbefore specifically pointed out, maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention or exceeding the scope of what is. claimed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1, The combination, with a fixed support of a loom, said support being undercut and provided with a bar, and tightening means' for said bar, of a tension device consisting in part of a base which is mounted on said support and adapted to be held stationary thereon by said bar and tightening means, and to be released-for adjustment on said support, said device being provided with retarding means for warp, and with friction tension means for said warp after it leaves said retarding means.

2. The combination, with a fixed support of a loom, said support being undercutv and provided with a bar, and tightening means for said bar, of a tension device consisting e in part of a base which is mounted on said support and adapted to be held stationary thereon by said bar and tightening means, and to be released for adjustment on said support, said device being provided with carryingvmeans for a warp roll, retarding means for the warp from said roll, and friction tension means forsaid warp after it leaves said first-named means. v

3. In a tension device, of the class described, a body having a passageway therethrough closed on four sides and provided with channel-forming members, for warp units passing side by side, and individual presser-feet in said passageway to bear on said warp units.

4. A tension device, of the class described, comprising a body having a passageway therethrough forfivarp units of different widths, presser-feet in said passageway for said warp units, said presser-feet in width corresponding with the warp units, and the presser-foot for a wider Warp unit being in advance of the presser-foot for a narrower warp unit, and tension-bars supported from said body and ,arranged to cause said warp unitsfafter leaving said presserffeet, to pass in a tortuous course in contact with said'tension-bars.

l5. In a tension device, of the class Adescribed, a body consisting of a base having. side-pieces, and acap-plate secured on said side-pieces, whereby is formed through said body a passageway closed on four sides, said cap-plate being provided with hollow posts which open through the cap-plate into said passageway, resser-feet in said passageway,

said pressereethaving stems which extend upwardly into said posts, and lsprings for said stems and tension-regulating means for said springs in said posts.

6. In a tension device, of the'` class described, a body consisting of a base having side-pieces, and a cap-plate secured on said side-pieces, whereby a passageway is formed through said body, said cap-piece having posts on top thereof, which -posts are hollow and open into said passageway, a iooring on the bottom of said passageway,zsaid flooring having upst-anding parts which assist in forming channels, presser-feet in such channels, said presser-feet having stems which extend through said cap-plate into said posts, springs in said posts above vsaid stems, and vmeans in said saidfsprings to regulate the tension thereof.

7 The combination in a tension .device of 4the class described, with means to imparta drag to warp of thin material, of three nonrotary tension-bars, adapted to have said warp pass in Contact with all of them, after said warp leaves -said drag-imparting means, two of said tension-bars being arranged in approximately the same horizontal plane, and separated by a distance less than the diameter of the third tension-bar, and said third tension-bar being so located that the warp in passing between the same Aand one ofthe other tension-bars takes an oblique course. I'

8. The combination in a tension device of the class described, with means to impart a drag to warp of thin material, of three nonrotary tension-bars adapted to have said warp pass in contact with all of them, after said warp leaves said drag-imparting means, two of said tension-bars being arranged in approximately the same horizontal plane, .and separated by` a distance less than the diameter of the third tension-bar, and the latter being so located, relative'to said firstnamed tension-bars, that the warp, in pass' ing to said third tension-bar-from one ofl the first-named tension-bars and thence toV osts above e the other of said first-named tension-bars, takes an'oblique direction in each instance. 9. The combination, in a tension device of the class described, with means` to impart a drag to warp ot thin material, of three non-rotary tension-bars adapted to have said warp pass in contact with all ot' them, after said warp leaves said drag-imparting means, two of said tension-bars heilig arranged in approximately the same horizontal plane, separated by a distance less than the diameter of the third tension-bar, and each smaller in diameter than the third, and the latter being so lofated that the warp, in passing between the same and another of said tension-bars, takes an oblique course.

10. A tension device, of the class described, comprising a body having a passageway therethrough for warp, said passageway havin sides which said warp must be prevented rom climbing, a presser-foot arranged to bear on said warp in said passageway, and means to prevent the warp movingr through said passageway beneath said presser-toot from-climbing either of said sides.

11. A tension device, of. the class described, comprising a body having a passageway therethrough for warp, said passageway havino` sides which said warp must be prevented' arranged to bear on said warp. in said passageway, means to prevent the warp passing through said passageway beneath said presser foot from climbing either of said sides and'tension-bars supported from said body and arranged to cause said warp, after being drawn through said passageway beneath said presser-foot, to pass in a tortuous course,- in contact with said tension-bars.

12. A tension device, of theclass described, comprising a body having a passageway therethrough with upstanding parts on theA bottom to. i'orm a channel for the passage of' warp, such upstanding parts having slots therein, and a presser-foot in such channel, .said presser-foot being provided with lugs which extend into said slots.

13. A tension device, or' the class described, comprising a body having apas` sageway therethrough with upstanding parts on the bottom ot' such passageway to form a channel for the warp, such parts having slots therein, a presser-foot in such channel, said presser-foot being provided with lugs which extend into said slots, and tension bars supported from said body and arranged to cause said warp, after 4being vdrawn through said channel beneath said presser-foot, to pass in a tortuous course in contact with said tension bars.

14. A tension device, of the class described, comprising a -body having a passageway therethrough,- a ooring on the iiom climbing, a presser-foot bottom of said passageway, said flooring having upstanding parts to form channels for the passage therethrough of warp units, which upstanding parts are slotted, and presser-feet in said channels, said presserfeet being provided with projections which extend into said slots.

15. A tension device, of the class described, comprising a body having a passageway therethrough, a flooring on the bottom of said passageway, said flooring having upstanding parts to form channels for the passage therethrough of warp units, which upstanding parts are slotted, presser-feet in such channels, said presser-'feet bein"g\provided with projections which extend into said slots, and tension-bars supported from said body and arranged to cause said warp units, after being drawn through said channels beneath said presser-feet, to pass in a tortuous course in contact with said tension-bars.

16. ln a tension device, of the class described, a body having a passageway therethrough for warp, sald passageway having sides which said warp must be prevented from climbing, a `presser member in said hpassageway' to bear on the warp therein,

and means to prevent the warp in said passageway from climbing either side thereof.

17. In a tension device, of the class described, a body having a passageway therethrough for war a presser-foot arranged to bear on the warp in said passageway, said presser-foot having parts which extend be- `vond the sides of said passageway to prevent the warp from climbing such sides.

18. In a tension device, of the class described, a body having a channel-forming member with slotted sides therein, and a presser-foot adapted to bear on warp in the channel, and provided with projecting parts which extend into said slots.

19. In atension device, of the class described, a support-ing and guiding member for warp, said member having sides which said warp must be prevented from climbing, and a presser member for the warp passing in contact with said first-named member, and between said sides, said second-named member being supported from above, and having parts the Jfree ends of which extend beyond the edges of said warp.

20. In a tension device, of the class described, a channel-forming member having recessed sides, and a presser member adapted to bear on warp in the channel, said presser member having parts that extend into the side recesses.

4AZEL C. HoUGH. 

